Wallicher Falls (or Wallacha Falls) and Tchupala Falls

Wooroonooran National Park, Queensland, Australia

About Wallicher Falls (or Wallacha Falls) and Tchupala Falls

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Wallicher Falls (also spelled Wallacha Falls) and Tchupala Falls were a waterfall pairing in Wooroonooran National Park sharing the same trailhead off the Palmerston Highway.

I probably could have described each of these waterfalls in their own page, but I figured that it would make more sense to include them together since I’ve experienced them both on the same hike each time I’ve done it.

Tchupala_and_Wallicha_Falls_027_06292022 - Tchupala Falls
Tchupala Falls

Our hiking path resembled that of a Y-shaped route, where each of the two waterfalls sat as the endpoints of the prongs of the Y.

Similar to Nandroya Falls, Wallicher Falls and Tchupala Falls seemed to be obscure waterfalls within the waterfall-laced Atherton Tablelands.

Indeed, we easily could have driven by and missed the shared trailhead for Wallacha and Tchupala Falls while zipping along the Palmerston Highway between Innisfail and Millaa Millaa.

I guess it was only because we made it a point to chase waterfalls in an area already saturated with named waterfalls that allowed us to slow down and look for places like these.

Tchupala_and_Wallicha_Falls_039_06292022 - Wallacha Falls (or Wallicher Falls)
Wallacha Falls (or Wallicher Falls)

And we were richly rewarded for it!

Hiking to Both Tchupala Falls and Wallicher Falls

The hike began from an unsigned pullout (or at least you really had to look for the trailhead signage) on the Palmerston Highway (see directions below).

From that pullout, I then had to briefly walk back along the Palmerston Highway towards the trailhead sign letting me know that I indeed was at the right spot.

Then, after about 200m of walking in the monsoonal rainforest, I reached a signed trail junction where the tracks to Tchupala Falls and Wallicher Falls each branched off in different directions.

Tchupala_Falls_001_05162008 - Context of the east-to-miss trailhead for both Wallicher Falls and Tchupala Falls along with the Palmerston Highway
Context of the east-to-miss trailhead for both Wallicher Falls and Tchupala Falls along with the Palmerston Highway

Had we chosen to do the Tchupala Falls first, we would have to hike about 360m from this junction (or 560m one-way from the trailhead).

Conversely, had we chosen to do the Wallicher Falls first, we would have to hike about 500m from this junction (or 700m one-way from the trailhead).

The overall hiking distance for the entire Y-shaped route was about 2km, which we were able to complete in about 45-60 minutes (though it could have easily been longer, which I’ll get to shortly).

Anyways, each time I’ve done this hike, I took the right branch to Tchupala Falls first because it had the shorter out-and-back walk.

Tchupala_and_Wallicha_Falls_010_06292022 - Signposted trail junction where the paths had split to Tchupala Falls and Wallacha Falls separately
Signposted trail junction where the paths had split to Tchupala Falls and Wallacha Falls separately

So following its straightforward track along Henrietta Creek, the track continued through the monsoonal rainforest scenery while providing the soundtrack of the flowing creek drowning out the sounds of the Palmerston Highway.

Eventually, the track approached an open part of the rainforest as the trail descended towards a path that apparently once descended right to Henrietta Creek across from the segmented Tchupala Falls.

When Julie and I first came here in May 2008, Cyclone Larry caused damage to the remainder of this track making it difficult to get a clean view of the falls (let alone getting down to the creek).

When I came back in June 2022, it seemed like the track went a little further to a cleaner and more open look at the Tchupala Falls (which looked to be about 10-15m).

Tchupala_Falls_013_05162008 - Tchupala Falls as seen when we first showed up in May 2008, but a cyclone had damaged the area, which made the view suboptimal
Tchupala Falls as seen when we first showed up in May 2008, but a cyclone had damaged the area, which made the view suboptimal

That said, a barricade still discouraged further progress to the creek, but I saw a pair of young women who managed to hop the barricade and make it down to the creek for an unsanctioned swim.

On their way out, they did warn me about leeches but I had no intention of getting past the barricade.

After having my fill of this falls, I then backtracked to the Y-junction, and then I proceeded further upstream along Henrietta Creek towards Wallacha Falls.

Because this section of the track kind of paralleled the Palmerston Highway, I did hear some sporadic sounds of vehicles whizzing by over the background sounds of the flowing creek itself.

Tchupala_and_Wallicha_Falls_017_06292022 - This part of the Tchupala Falls Trail appeared to be fixed up since May 2008 when we first came here, and this improved the view of this waterfall during my late June 2022 visit
This part of the Tchupala Falls Trail appeared to be fixed up since May 2008 when we first came here, and this improved the view of this waterfall during my late June 2022 visit

By the way, I’ve interchanged the spelling of Wallicher Falls and Wallacha Falls because the signage along this part of the trail actually spelled it the other way.

Anyways, I’d eventually reach a lookout peering through an opening in the rainforest towards the somewhat wider and pleasing Wallacha Falls.

The photo shown at the top of this page was the Wallicher Falls, which dropped about 10m though it had a greater width than its height.

I didn’t know this at the time, but according to my Gaia GPS map, the track actually crossed the creek above the falls and then apparently descended to its base around the other side.

Tchupala_and_Wallicha_Falls_038_06292022 - Context of the lookout for Wallacha Falls, which was as far as I went on my visit in both late June 2022 (shown here) as well as May 2008
Context of the lookout for Wallacha Falls, which was as far as I went on my visit in both late June 2022 (shown here) as well as May 2008

I can’t say whether that path is still there since I haven’t actually done it, but I’m keen to check it out the next time I’m here.

By the way, the track would continue along Henrietta Creek eventually reaching the Henrietta Creek Campground (so it’s possible to combine this hike with Nandroya Falls in a much longer day hike).

After having my fill of the lookout of Wallacha Falls, I then returned the way I came to complete the roughly 2km return out-and-back hike.

Authorities

Tchupala Falls and Wallicher Falls reside in the Wooroonooran National Park near Innisfail, Queensland. It is administered by the State of Queensland Department of Environment and Science. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: wooroonooran, palmerston, national park, cyclone larry, tablelands, atherton, queensland, australia, waterfall, millaa millaa, innisfail



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Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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